Rishikesh-Badrinath highway opens post massive landslide

Vishnuprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], May 21 (ANI): The Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway which was shut on Friday near Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district due to a massive landslide was re-opened for traffic on Sunday.

SP Chamoli Tripti Bhatt told ANI, ''Badrinath Highway near Hathi parbat which was shut due to landslide is now open.''

Earlier, Maharashtra's Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation, Chandrakant Patil informed that hundreds of Char Dham pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand have been rescued.

He told ANI, "The government has taken all necessary precautions. The state's department of disaster management immediately came into action. We contacted the tour operators and figured out that 102 pilgrims from Maharashtra were stranded who have been rescued now and have been accommodated in different hotels."

"By noon all roads will be cleared, and by evening, all pilgrims will be made to board trains to their respective home stations. We have reached out to the railway authorities for the same so that none miss out their trains," Patil added.

A landslide blocked part of the road leading up from Joshimath to Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on Friday.

There have been no casualties or injuries. (ANI)

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